This week on GPS: George Clooney talks to Fareed from South Sudan. Residents there will vote -- starting on Sunday -- on whether to become an independent nation. Clooney and activist John Prendergast are worried the referendum could bring war back to this nation where war never seems to end. Their novel solution to avoid war and mass murder involves satellite surveillance. Tune in and hear them explain how they hope to become the "anti-genocide paparazzi".

Also, what does 2011 hold? Will it be better than 2010? Fareed gives you his "take" on the New Year.

Then, an all-star GPS panel featuring CNN host Eliot Spitzer, David Remnick of the New Yorker, Wall Street Journalist columnist Bret Stephens, and Chrystia Freeland of Reuters, offer their own "takes" on 2011 -- from DC politics to world politics, from dollars and cents to war and peace.

Next up, what in the world? A new kind of cold front is emerging...in Baghdad.

Then, peril in Pakistan. A progressive politician killed in cold blood. What effect will the assassination have on the future of not only that country, but American efforts in the region? Fareed speaks to one of Pakistan's leading journalists, who was also a key associate of the slain governor.

And finally a last look at how much it might cost to buy a big white house in Washington D.C. Prices are dropping!

@It's Me - on our national news the other night, someone was talking about what the actual dollar amount the White House (where President Obama lives) was worth in today's housing market. I'm assuming since this was included in the above news bite, they are going to discuss that along with the Sudan, Pakistan and the other topics listed.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]George Clooney uses Hollywood starpower in S.Sudan

How do you get a long-suffering but little-known slice of Africa on the White House agenda and onto American TV screens? George Clooney knows how.

Humble, self-effacing and dressed for safari, the Hollywood star and former Sexiest Man Alive was in the scruffy, straw-hut capital of Southern Sudan on Saturday to draw attention to the region's weeklong independence referendum.

The vote, which begins Sunday, is likely to create the world's newest nation. Clooney is working to help the region avoid a backslide toward war.

In picking a cause and roughing it in a developing country, Clooney is hardly alone. Celebrities are shining their star power on the poor, the war-weary and the disaster-prone more than ever.

"Our job is trying to keep this on the front burner of the news," Clooney told The Associated Press. "I'm the son of newsman. I understand how hard it is to keep stories on the front of news, and sometimes entertainment and news can be meshed together if you do it properly."

Clooney has had two meetings with President Barack Obama on Sudan and has persuaded reporters from outlets like NBC, CNN and Newsweek to focus on the country. He says he doesn't know how much his efforts help, but that every bit counts.

"It's important as any other individual in the country or in the world to engage in life and in the world," he continued. "You know, a celebrity is absolutely no different. I wasn't a celebrity my whole life. I was an individual citizen for most of it, an unemployed citizen for a lot of it. ... I don't forfeit that just because I've happened to get lucky in my career."

Whether it's Sean Penn in Haiti, Ben Affleck in Congo, or Angelina Jolie's work in more than a dozen countries, stars are bringing attention to those in need. Bono, U2's lead singer, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his aid work in Africa.

There's even a website dedicated to the merger between Hollywood and helping. Look To The Stars lists more than 2,300 celebrities and 1,600 charities they support. Myrlia Purcell, who along with her husband began [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] in 2006, said stars bring recognition to a cause, which can be a boon for non-profits with tight budgets.

"Just imagine someone comes up to you on the street and says, 'There's a man around the corner giving out food to homeless people. Come and help.' How many people are likely to stop what they are doing to go hand out food? Now imagine that the man helping out around the corner is George Clooney," Purcell said.

The aid organization World Vision has gotten celebrity endorsements from Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, actor Hugh Jackman and former first lady Laura Bush. The group's Rachel Wolff said dramatic disasters like earthquakes can bring in quick donations, but that slowburn crises — like in Sudan — need help from celebrities like Clooney.

"He can do a lot of good just with his own celebrity, his own influence," she said. "And I think what differentiates Mr. Clooney and Angelina Jolie is they couple that with serious conversation with politicians and stakeholders, so they take it to the next level."

Affleck began going to Congo in 2007 and directed a short film called "Gimme Shelter" about the crisis. The director and actor told the AP after a trip there last year that he was insecure about getting involved at first because of how little he initially knew. He's since studied up, and in November appeared on a panel on Congo alongside Sen. John Kerry and the State Department's top official on Africa.

Clooney and Sudan activist John Prendergast helped launched the Satellite Sentinel Project, which will track troop movements in real time in Abyei, a north-south border region where the biggest threat of a return to conflict exists. The two wrote that they want to cast a spotlight on the hot spots on the border to help prevent Darfur-like atrocities.

"We are the anti-genocide paparazzi," Clooney told Time magazine this week in another attention-grabbing interview.

Clooney's meetings with Obama were a way for the actor to get Sudan on the front pages and for the White House — which has been deeply engaged on the independence referendum — to show it is active on the issue. And the 49-year-old actor hinted that he'll be back to Sudan.

He said there are two tricks to bringing attention to a cause. The first is to pick one.

"And the second thing is to create a constant drumbeat, to keep doing it," Clooney said. "You can't just dip your toe in it and get out, you have to constantly come back and do it.

"Bono sort of led the way in terms of really being informed on the specific issue. Brad and Angie do it well, Matt Damon, I have a lot of friends who do it pretty well and really get involved. I see Ben Affleck doing it in the Congo now more and more. I find that people who pick a cause and stick to it, get to know something about it, it's actually helpful I think, because you can identify that to them and they can get better and better informed on the issue

JUBA, Sudan, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Six people were killed in clashes between rebel militias and south Sudan’s army on Friday and Saturday, the military said, a day before a referendum in which the south is expected to vote for independence.

The attacks cast a shadow over celebrations in other parts of the south — attended by Hollywood star George Clooney and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter — of the countdown to Sunday’s vote on whether the oil-producing region should secede.

The reports were a reminder of the deep rifts in the undeveloped south, which has been plagued by ethnic killings, rival militias and cattle rustling raids.

Philip Aguer, a spokesman for the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) said his forces ambushed fighters loyal to militia leader Galwak Gai in oil-producing Unity state on Friday and Gai’s men launched a counter-attack on Saturday.

"They were coming from the north to disrupt the referendum. It is a known game. The spoilers are always here. They definitely came from Khartoum," he said.

Southern leaders have regularly accused north Sudan of backing militias to try and disrupt the referendum in a bid to keep control of the region’s oil. Northern leaders have dismissed the accusations.

Aguer said SPLA forces killed two of Gai’s men and captured 26 on Friday, then killed four on Saturday.

WAITING FOR TOMORROW

Gai was among several southern militia leaders who rebelled after April elections, accusing the south’s government of fraud.

The referendum was promised in a 2005 peace accord that ended decades of north-south conflict — Africa’s longest civil war that killed an estimated 2 million people. The fighting left deep rifts between southern communities and analysts have warned old tensions could re-emerge to destabilise the region.

The referendum’s organising commission said it had everything in place to start processing around 4 million registered voters for the week-long voting exercise.

"Today we have nothing to do. We are waiting for tomorrow ... A couple of months ago, no one believed this would be possible," Barnaba Mariel Benjamin, chair of the South Sudan Referendum Board (SSRB) said in the south’s capital Juba.

Preparations for the vote have been hit by logistical problems and delays. Northern and southern leaders also remain at loggerheads over how they would divide out oil revenues after a split and other issues.

Juba was on Saturday festooned with pro-independence banners as youth groups and campaigners held rallies and spontaneous celebrations in the count down to the vote.

Southern president Salva Kiir repeated promises that there would be no return to war with the north. "We are left only with a few hours to make the most ... important decision of our lifetime. I urge you to make the decision in a peaceful manner," he said in a speech in Juba.

Clooney, a long time campaigner in Sudan, particularly over its separate Darfur conflict, flew back to the capital after a quick visit to the contested central region of Abyei.

"There is such an electricity in the air (in Juba)," he told Reuters. "I’ve never been around a place that gets to vote for their independence. To see the beginning of a new country, to see a country and a people that has longed for this for generations, to see the excitement that is in their eyes and in their hearts is really something spectacular to be around. It is an honour."

I think its a pretty good bet he is wearing a flack vest. Hunters wear them all the time just in case some other guy with a gun mistakes them for a deer or bear while in the woods.

You can buy them online, most are made of kevlar fabric, they aren't completely bullet proof but will take most of the impact from a normal commercial bullet shot from a distance or deflect a knife attack.

I bet that the whole team over there, political people, news people, everyone involved have a very strong security force with them. And I do bet that George's insurance companies cringe everytime he does something like this. Let's just pray for no more gunfire, deaths or other bad things. I don't mean to offend those who don't pray, just think good thoughts please.

WHOA, I just hit 500 talking about George's package again! I think one of my other milestones I was talking about his package. Oh major gutter mind! And, I am now a Clooney-phile!!!!! That just sounds WRONG!!!!

Sorry, just trying to bring some silliness to a very serious thread. No disrespect for the event intended.

melbert wrote:WHOA, I just hit 500 talking about George's package again! I think one of my other milestones I was talking about his package. Oh major gutter mind! And, I am now a Clooney-phile!!!!! That just sounds WRONG!!!!

Sorry, just trying to bring some silliness to a very serious thread. No disrespect for the event intended.

@It's Me, are you referring to the shootings in Arizona? One of Arizona's representatives was shot in the head and is recovering from surgery in Arizona. I think a 9-year-old boy was killed and many more injured. Apparently they caught the young man who was shooting. So sad.

In Sudan, an Election and a BeginningBy BARACK OBAMAPublished: January 8, 2011

NOT every generation is given the chance to turn the page on the past and write a new chapter in history. Yet today — after 50 years of civil wars that have killed two million people and turned millions more into refugees — this is the opportunity before the people of southern Sudan.

Over the next week, millions of southern Sudanese will vote on whether to remain part of Sudan or to form their own independent nation. This process — and the actions of Sudanese leaders — will help determine whether people who have known so much suffering will move toward peace and prosperity, or slide backward into bloodshed. It will have consequences not only for Sudan, but also for sub-Saharan Africa and the world.

The historic vote is an exercise in self-determination long in the making, and it is a key part of the 2005 peace agreement that ended the civil war in Sudan. Yet just months ago, with preparations behind schedule, it was uncertain whether this referendum would take place at all. It is for this reason that I gathered with leaders from Sudan and around the world in September to make it clear that the international community was united in its belief that this referendum had to take place and that the will of the people of southern Sudan had to be respected, regardless of the outcome.

In an important step forward, leaders from both northern and southern Sudan — backed by more than 40 nations and international organizations — agreed to work together to ensure that the voting would be timely, peaceful, free and credible and would reflect the will of the Sudanese people. The fact that the voting appears to be starting on time is a tribute to those in Sudan who fulfilled their commitments. Most recently, the government of Sudan said that it would be the first to recognize the south if it voted for independence.

Now, the world is watching, united in its determination to make sure that all parties in Sudan live up to their obligations. As the referendum proceeds, voters must be allowed access to polling stations; they must be able to cast their ballots free from intimidation and coercion. All sides should refrain from inflammatory rhetoric or provocative actions that could raise tensions or prevent voters from expressing their will.

As the ballots are counted, all sides must resist prejudging the outcome. For the results to be credible, the commission that is overseeing the referendum must be free from pressure and interference. In the days ahead, leaders from north and south will need to work together to prevent violence and ensure that isolated incidents do not spiral into wider instability. Under no circumstance should any side use proxy forces in an effort to gain an advantage while we wait for the final results.

A successful vote will be cause for celebration and an inspiring step forward in Africa’s long journey toward democracy and justice. Still, lasting peace in Sudan will demand far more than a credible referendum.

The 2005 peace agreement must be fully implemented — a goal that will require compromise. Border disputes, and the status of the Abyei region, which straddles north and south, need to be resolved peacefully. The safety and citizenship of all Sudanese, especially minorities — southerners in the north and northerners in the south — have to be protected. Arrangements must be made for the transparent distribution of oil revenues, which can contribute to development. The return of refugees needs to be managed with extraordinary care to prevent another humanitarian catastrophe.

If the south chooses independence, the international community, including the United States, will have an interest in ensuring that the two nations that emerge succeed as stable and economically viable neighbors, because their fortunes are linked. Southern Sudan, in particular, will need partners in the long-term task of fulfilling the political and economic aspirations of its people.

Finally, there can be no lasting peace in Sudan without lasting peace in the western Sudan region of Darfur. The deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Darfuris — and the plight of refugees like those I met in a camp in neighboring Chad five years ago — must never be forgotten. Here, too, the world is watching. The government of Sudan must live up to its international obligations. Attacks on civilians must stop. United Nations peacekeepers and aid workers must be free to reach those in need.

As I told Sudanese leaders in September, the United States will not abandon the people of Darfur. We will continue our diplomatic efforts to end the crisis there once and for all. Other nations must use their influence to bring all parties to the table and ensure they negotiate in good faith. And we will continue to insist that lasting peace in Darfur include accountability for crimes that have been committed, including genocide.

Along with our international partners, the United States will continue to play a leadership role in helping all the Sudanese people realize the peace and progress they deserve. Today, I am repeating my offer to Sudan’s leaders — if you fulfill your obligations and choose peace, there is a path to normal relations with the United States, including the lifting of economic sanctions and beginning the process, in accordance with United States law, of removing Sudan from the list of states that sponsor terrorism. In contrast, those who flout their international obligations will face more pressure and isolation.

Millions of Sudanese are making their way to the polls to determine their destiny. This is the moment when leaders of courage and vision can guide their people to a better day. Those who make the right choice will be remembered by history — they will also have a steady partner in the United States.

U.S. actor George Clooney smiles after South Sudan's President Salva Kiir cast his ballot at a polling station in Juba, south Sudan January 9, 2011. Millions of south Sudanese started voting on Sunday in a long-awaited independence referendum that is expected see their war-ravaged region emerge as a new nation. Clooney, a long time campaigner in Sudan, particularly over its separate Darfur conflict, attended celebrations for the countdown to Sunday's vote.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

U.S. actor George Clooney walks in front of St. Teresa's Cathedral during a referendum in Juba, south Sudan January 9, 2011. Millions of south Sudanese started voting on Sunday in a long-awaited independence referendum that is expected see their war-ravaged region emerge as a new nation. Clooney, a long time campaigner in Sudan, particularly over its separate Darfur conflict, attended celebrations for the countdown to Sunday's vote[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Actor George Clooney smiles during an interview with Reuters in Southern Sudan's capital Juba, January 8, 2011[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Actor George Clooney talks to a journalist during the south Sudan referendum at the John Garang memorial mausoleum in Juba, January 9, 2011. Millions of south Sudanese started voting on Sunday in a long-awaited independence referendum that is expected see their war-ravaged region emerge as a new nation. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (R) shakes hands with actor George Clooney (L) after casting his ballot during the referendum at the John Garang memorial mausoleum in Juba, January 9, 2011. Millions of south Sudanese started voting on Sunday in a long-awaited independence referendum that is expected see their war-ravaged region emerge as a new nation[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Actor George Clooney gestures during an interview with Reuters in Southern Sudan's capital Juba, January 8, 2011[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Actor George Clooney smiles during an interview with Reuters in Southern Sudan's capital Juba, January 8, 2011[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Actor George Clooney poses for a photograph after an interview with Reuters in Southern Sudan's capital Juba[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]